When Mike Foscolos returned to his destroyed San Bernadino, California home after recent fires, he discovered a reminder of God's love for him despite the tragic circumstances.

Foscolos was evacuated Saturday, October 25th when fires burned dangerously close to his home. He returned that evening to find a pile of smoldering black ash where his home had been. As he surveyed the scene with his flashlight, Foscoloso saw a piece of paper fluttering through the air. He stepped on the paper with his foot to hold it down, and realized it was a singed page from his Bible.

Foscolos said, "It was the first Bible I received as a new Christian and I had saved it in the garage." The surviving page contained a message of hope from Jeremiah 29:11-13. The passage reads, "For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord,' plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart."

Foscolos plans to have the page framed to keep in his rebuilt home as a testimony. Foscolos said, "To me, it means God is in control and His promises are true. It's a reminder that God has a purpose for everything. We may not know why something happens but it's not our place to ask Him."

—http://bpnews.net, Scorched Bible pages reassure wildfire victims of God's love, October 31, 2003,

Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV "For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord,' plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart."

During the U.S. Women’s Soccer Teams run to the World Cup Championship game, team Stephanie Cox didn’t get a lot of playing time, but says she something more important in the process. Cox played a total of 67 minutes in six games. Though a little frustrating, she said it served as a reminder of her responsibility to her teammates, no matter how much she was on the field. Cox said she made a point to cheer loudly for her teammates, support them and encourage them through the competition. She said “It’s more about the effect I can have on my teammates. My responsibility is to show them Christ.”

Cox grew up in a Christinan home in California. Made a profession of faith at an early age, and took several mission trips with her family during her teenage years. She says her commitment to soccer caused her to miss some events and church activities, but she found a connection between her faith and love of soccer in college. She said during the time in Germany as part of the U.S. team she could see ways God was working on the team. She prayed with other teammates, held regular Bible studies, and on one Sunday gathered to sing worship songs and listen to an online sermon. Cox said, “We were just so grateful that he was writing a bigger story than we could have. Eternity’s worth more than playing every game.”

--Sports: At World Cup, U.S. defender found purpose sitting on the bench, http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=35827; July 27, 2011, Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell

Romans 6:13 (CEV) or let any part of it become a slave of evil. Give yourselves to God, as people who have been raised from death to life. Make every part of your body a slave that pleases God.